I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a pair of socks, and in particular to a pair of socks which have the capability of transforming into a three dimensional recognizable object.
II. Description of the Related Art
It is known in the prior art to add decorative features to ordinary socks in order to make them more attractive to children and others. For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,545 issued to Hirano discloses a pair of bags positioned on the front of an ordinary pair of socks. The bags can be filled to form round shapes like ears, and an animal face can be illustrated on the front of the sock to provide a three dimensional shape. Another example of this type of sock is U.S. Pat. No. 3,023,420 issued to Tann. In the '420 Patent a three dimensional puppet is attached to the end of the socks. It is also well known to print patterns and shapes on the outside of socks to provide aesthetically pleasing designs.
The present invention provides the ornamental and decorative features of the above described inventions but does not share the drawbacks of those inventions. The above described socks are of limited use as the attachments to the sock provide a snag point that can get caught on objects that are low to the ground. Also, the socks described above would not be suitable for athletic or dress socks. This invention provides a source of motivation for children and adults alike to pair and store their socks in a fun way. It also provides an educational hand to eye coordination exercise for children. The present invention combines the fun and ornamental elements of the prior art by transforming a pair of socks into a decorative object. The present invention does not have the same limitations as the socks described above because, when in use, the socks of the present invention are indistinguishable from ordinary socks of any kind including dress and athletic socks. The socks are transformed into a decorative object only when they are stored prior being worn.
It has been common in the past to roll up a pair of socks by the method utilized in the present invention. However, the practice of making a three dimensional graphic design on the inside surface of one of the socks in order to form a recognizable likeness of a three dimensional object when the socks are rolled up has heretofore not been known.